Desire Me If You Can Novel - Chapter 12

With a lingering sense of unease, the chief returned to his office. As soon as his back disappeared completely from view, the remaining men turned their eyes to Grayson in unison. They stood there looking up at him with hardened expressions, as if confronting a heinous criminal.

Arms crossed or hands on their hips, their faces as they stared at him were filled with blatant dissatisfaction. Their hostility had skyrocketed to its maximum, fueled by self-loathing for having been momentarily mesmerized by his beauty when they first saw him.

In the sharp silence, the air in the room grew increasingly taut. Amidst this, a man finally stepped forward as if to seize the initiative, looked up at Grayson, and spat out a low voice.

“You’re a firefighter starting today? You?”

As he looked Grayson up and down with a gaze that blatantly expressed his absurdity, another man asked in a rough tone, as if to back him up.

“How did you get in here? We all went through testing, shouldn’t you have to do it too?”

“Right, the physical fitness test. That’s the most basic of basics.”

Following the man who quickly chimed in, others began to cut in and chatter from all over, not missing a beat.

“When a fire breaks out, do you think you can run into the scene carrying incredibly heavy equipment?”

“Suddenly jumping in and calling yourself a colleague? Not a chance. You can’t do it like that.”

“We are a team. If a rookie like you butts in and ruins the team, everyone’s lives are at risk. Hey, are you listening?”

“Answer me, you son of a bitch. Are you deaf?”

The men shouted their grievances in an uproar, but Grayson showed no reaction. Looking past the men with an indifferent expression, he suddenly moved his body. Seeing him try to ignore them and leave, the men flared up in anger and blocked his path again.

“Is this fucker ignoring us right now?”

“Where do you think you’re going without permission?”

“Get lost right now! This isn’t a place for a guy like you to be snooping around!”

The men screamed, swinging their fists right under Grayson’s chin. Grayson, having his path blocked, grimaced and eventually let out a deep sigh. Even then, the men remained triumphant. This bastard is finally losing his spirit. Of course, we are the firefighters protecting this area! Did you think a playboy like you could handle us? In front of the men puffing out their chests in satisfaction, Grayson, shoulders slumped in apparent dejection, muttered lowly in a voice completely drained of energy.

“Ah… I really hate ugly people…”

He muttered it like talking to himself, but it was clearly intended for everyone present to hear. Instantaneously, a chilling silence descended. The men who had been shouting and making a racket until then looked stunned, as if they had been struck on the back of the head. Only a very short time had passed, yet Grayson seemed completely drained of energy. Seeing him cover his mouth with one hand and even take a deep breath as if he were about to vomit, the men watching felt a fire ignite in their chests.

“What did you say? Hey, you son of a bitch!”

“Fuck, do you want to die? Fine, let’s go right now!”

“I’ll kill you, you bastard! Who do you think you’re talking to?”

“Bring it on, coward! Come at me right now! I’ll grind you to dust!”

Someone threw a punch along with a curse, and as if that were a signal, everyone lunged at Grayson. Seeing them, Grayson frowned and stopped. Surprisingly, hah, at the sight of his face turning tearful with a sigh, the men paused for a moment, and he mumbled something close to a complaint.

“Ah… I really hate touching ugly people…”

In an instant, the men’s anger exploded.

“What? This bastard!”

“Kill him! Let’s kill him right now!”

“I won’t let you get away with this, you rotten punk!”

The man at the very front, veins bulging on his forehead upon hearing the words, threw a punch. It was no longer a matter of pride as a firefighter. Their hearts were filled only with the rage to beat this arrogant bastard senseless and fix his attitude.

Unfortunately, Grayson easily dodged the fierce blow just by slightly turning his body. While the man who stumbled as his fist cut through empty air gritted his teeth and tried to regain his stance, another man rushed in. This time, it was a kick. A foot soaring to thigh height flew in instantly, but Grayson avoided it easily just by taking a step back.

The same situation repeated itself continuously, but the men didn’t give up. Instead, burning with the determination to knock him down somehow, they threw their whole bodies even more fiercely. It wasn’t a situation that would end easily. Grayson was getting bored. Wasting time on such useless things was annoying, and he felt impatient dealing with these idiots when he should be finding his fated woman as soon as possible.

It was then. Grayson, who had once again dodged a flying fist by slightly turning his body, caught sight of it. A firefighter’s tool, the Halligan bar, mainly used to force open locked doors, suggested a different use to him.

Thwack. The moment a dull sound rang out as a man’s fist landed on Grayson’s stomach, Grayson grabbed the Halligan bar almost simultaneously.

“Ugh.”

The man stood dazed for a moment, not even fully realizing the fact that he had hit Grayson, who had been dodging so well. A shadow fell over him. From above the man who inadvertently lifted his head, Grayson opened his mouth. Wearing a smile across his entire face.

“Now it’s self-defense.”

Immediately after, before he even had time to think, the Halligan bar sliced through the air. The man collapsed to the floor without even being able to scream. Seeing this, the other men were momentarily flustered, but there was no time to hesitate. By the time they belatedly realized that Grayson Miller had deliberately let himself be hit once, the Halligan bar was already flying towards their bodies.

What followed was a one-sided beating. The men hurriedly corrected their postures and lunged at Grayson, but they couldn’t even brush a hair on him. Their arms, waists, and backs were battered indiscriminately. Fortunately, he didn’t hit their heads, but the shock delivered to their bodies was formidable. Behind a man falling with a scream, another threw himself forward, and when he was knocked away, the fallen man staggered up and attacked again.

Now, no absurd thoughts like teaching Grayson Miller manners remained. What was left for them was only petty pride and stubbornness. The last remaining will that they couldn’t just crumble pitifully like this.

Despite their desperate efforts, Grayson wasn’t even out of breath. His movements as he skillfully wielded the Halligan bar were just enough, appearing concise and efficient. This monster-like bastard. The man who had attacked first gritted his teeth and cursed. He might kill us. Along with fear, a chilling premonition was felt. No, surely he will. Maybe not this instant, but someday, perhaps sooner rather than later.

That bastard is going to kill us all.

The moment he thought that, the Halligan bar flew towards his body.

I can’t withstand it this time. Is this the end? The man closed his eyes as he thought.

Whack! A loud noise echoed. The sound seemed to come from further away than expected. At the noise that seemed to ring out from somewhere other than his own body, the man stiffened.

When he slowly opened his eyes, an unexpected sight entered his vision. Someone had smashed a chair over Grayson Miller’s back. And the moment he confirmed the red-gold-haired man holding the broken chair leg, he let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.

“Dane…!”

In the view of the man who called out his name as if meeting a savior, Grayson Miller was seen slowly turning around with a frown. Soon, their gazes met in mid-air. Deep violet eyes filled with displeasure and blue eyes furrowed in a scowl.

Dane, who threw aside the broken chair, crumpled his brow to the extreme.

“Who the hell are you?”

Pop. Dane blew a bubble with the gum he was chewing, popped it, and glared at the stranger who had been causing a ruckus until just a moment ago.